Canberra destination guide
Canberra is Australia's national capital and the capital of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). It is a planned city: the National Capital Authority (NCA) says the heart of Walter Burley Griffin's plan, which won the 1912 design competition for the National Capital, was a central artificial lake and a National Triangle where the most important national buildings were to be placed. That lake is Lake Burley Griffin, approximately 300 kilometres south-west of Sydney.
The city holds the national institutions, among them Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery of Australia and the National Museum of Australia. VisitCanberra, the ACT Government's tourism body, also points to vineyards, Ngunnawal cultural sites and mountain bike trails, and to national parks and nature reserves with waterfalls, gorges and forests, and mountains that carry snow a 45-minute drive from the city.
What to see and do in Canberra
Parliament House
Parliament House is open every day except Christmas Day, from 9 am to 5 pm on non-sitting days and 8:30 am to 6 pm on sitting days. Members of the public are welcome in the public galleries after 6 pm while the chambers are in session. You can watch Question Time, see bills being debated and sit in on committee inquiries.
Every visitor goes through airport-style security screening at the entrance, and Parliament House asks you to allow at least 15 minutes for it because the time it takes can vary. Bikes cannot be brought into the building. Bus stops are on Federation Mall, about 200 metres from the public entrance, and there are taxi ranks and rideshare bays in the public car park.
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is open daily except Christmas Day, with the galleries open from 10 am to 5 pm and progressively closed from 4 pm. The Last Post Ceremony is at 4.30 pm. The Memorial is about 2 km from the city centre, a 10 to 15 minute bus ride on the 54 from the City Interchange.
The Memorial is expanding its galleries while it stays open: early construction work began in 2020 and is scheduled for completion in 2028. As of 29 September 2026 the First and Second World War galleries, the Cold War galleries, the Hall of Valour, the Commemorative Area, Anzac Hall, Aircraft Hall and the Anzac Atrium were open, and the pre-1914 galleries were in development and due for completion in 2028. Some galleries may be temporarily closed, and bags larger than 40 x 30 x 30 cm have to be cloaked.
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is open every day, 10 am to 5 pm. Its Capital Works Program runs from 2026 to 2030, and while the Gallery stays open, some parts of the building and the National Sculpture Garden close temporarily for construction, and visitors may notice construction noise or vibration. The Gallery's visit page lists what is closed.
As of October 2026 the Gallery lists the National Sculpture Garden Pavilion as closed, with a new pavilion due to open in mid-2027, and Fujiko Nakaya's fog sculpture "Foggy wake in a desert: An ecosphere" as closed for maintenance and due to reopen in mid-2027. The Gallery says reopening dates are subject to change.
National Museum of Australia
The National Museum of Australia is on Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, and is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, except Christmas Day.
Lake Burley Griffin
The NCA manages the lake on behalf of the Commonwealth, and the lake dams the Molonglo River between Scrivener Dam and the Dairy Road Bridge. It is used for rowing, sailing, kayaking and paddle boarding, and kayak and stand-up paddleboard hire, lake cruises and ferry services run around it. The NCA lists designated swimming beaches and enclosures at Yarralumla Beach, Weston Park East and Black Mountain Beach, and says water quality there is monitored and tested each week through the year.
The National Carillon is on Queen Elizabeth II Island, reached by the John Gordon Bridge. Springbank Island can be reached only by boat.
Botanic Gardens and the National Arboretum
VisitCanberra lists the Australian National Botanic Gardens and the National Arboretum Canberra among the city's outdoor places. It also suggests a tour with a local Ngunnawal elder, or a workshop in traditional First Nations practices at the National Arboretum.
Bus routes to places Transport Canberra lists
Transport Canberra's visitor page lists these places with the routes that serve them.
| Place | Transport Canberra routes |
|---|---|
| Parliament House | R57, R58 |
| Australian War Memorial | R54 |
| National Gallery of Australia | R2, R6 |
| National Library, Questacon and the National Portrait Gallery | R2, R6 |
| Museum of Australian Democracy and Old Parliament House | R2, R6, R57, R58 |
| Royal Australian Mint | R58 |
| Australian Institute of Sport | R9 |
| Commonwealth Park | R2, R4, R5, R6, R7, R10 |
| Cockington Green Gardens | R24 |
| Visitor Information Centre | R2, R4, R5, R6, R7, R10, R57, R58 |
Canberra's seasons, weather and events
The Bureau of Meteorology defines the Australian summer, autumn, winter and spring by month: summer is December to February, autumn March to May, winter June to August and spring September to November. Canberra's winter nights are cold, according to the Bureau's averages for Canberra Airport.
Snow is common on the Brindabella Range in Namadgi National Park, and drivers are asked to check road conditions and use a four-wheel drive or chains when required in winter.
Spring is the season of Floriade, the flower festival. The lake's Central Basin is a sight during the balloon festival in March.
The ACT observes daylight saving, as do New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not.
Flying to Canberra
Canberra Airport is the city's airport, and its operator says one terminal building handles both domestic and international flights. Transport Canberra's Rapid 3 (R3) bus runs from the terminal to the City interchange and on to Belconnen and Spence, and the airport says the trip to the City takes less than 20 minutes. The bus stop and the taxi rank are on the ground floor of the terminal.
Flights on to Hobart, Launceston, Perth and Adelaide land in Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia, and each of those states has its own biosecurity agency with its own rules on fruit, vegetables and plants brought in from interstate.
Direct flights recorded from Canberra Airport
Direct domestic flights recorded from Canberra Airport go to the places below, with the airlines recorded on each route.
| Destination | Airlines recorded |
|---|---|
| Adelaide | Qantas, Virgin Australia |
| Brisbane | Jetstar, Qantas, Alliance Airlines, Virgin Australia |
| Coffs Harbour | Link Airways |
| Gold Coast | Jetstar, Virgin Australia |
| Hobart | Link Airways, Virgin Australia |
| Launceston | Link Airways, Virgin Australia |
| Melbourne | Jetstar, Qantas, Virgin Australia |
| Newcastle | Link Airways, FlyPelican, Virgin Australia |
| Perth | Qantas |
| Sydney | Link Airways, Qantas, Virgin Australia |
Getting around Canberra
Transport Canberra runs the public bus and light rail network. Light rail runs between Gungahlin and the city, and VisitCanberra says it gives easy access to Braddon and the Asian eat streets in Dickson.
MyWay+ is the ticket system for both buses and light rail. You can pay with a Mastercard or Visa card, as a physical card or on a phone or watch, with a MyWay+ card, or with a paper ticket from a ticket vending machine. Transport Canberra's visitor page has the routes for the places it lists.
VisitCanberra describes the Red Explorer Loop Bus, a hop-on, hop-off tour bus that leaves the Canberra Museum and Gallery at regular times from Monday to Saturday.
Taxis wait at taxi ranks, or you can phone ahead or book online, and wheelchair accessible taxis must be booked ahead. VisitCanberra names Uber for ride-share, and says most major national car rental companies have offices in the city and at Canberra Airport.
In country areas, particularly at dawn and dusk, remain alert to native animals such as kangaroos, wombats and possums, which may stray onto the road.
Side trips from Canberra
Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, run by the ACT Parks and Conservation Service, is about 40 km from the centre of Canberra, a 45-minute drive south-west. The reserve says its name comes from the Ngunnawal word "Jedbinbilla", a place where boys become men. The valley has been part of the ACT's nature conservation work since 1936 and was gazetted as a nature reserve and national park in 1971, and the reserve runs ranger guided activities.
The reserve's own page says taxis and Ubers are not recommended, because they may not be willing to return to pick you up, and most of a visit involves further driving on a 16 km road through the reserve. It asks visitors to fill up with fuel before they set out, since the closest petrol station is at Lanyon Marketplace, 18 km away, and mobile reception may be limited on the drive and inside the reserve.
The reserve is open from 7:30 am to 6 pm on Australian Eastern Standard Time and from 7:30 am to 8 pm on Australian Eastern Daylight Time, and visitors are asked to allow enough time to leave before the gates are locked at the end of each day. It is closed on Christmas Day and may also be closed on days of Total Fire Ban, severe weather events or for management requirements.
Namadgi National Park
Namadgi National Park covers about 46% of the ACT and protects Canberra's main water supply catchment. In early 2020 the Orroral Valley bushfire burnt over 80% of the park, and ACT Parks says the park will be in a recovery phase for many years. The park holds the Honeysuckle Creek site, where a tracking station beamed live images to the world on the day of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
Booroomba Rocks Road, Old Boboyan Road and Orroral Ridge Road are unsealed, generally suitable for two-wheel-drive vehicles in dry weather, and their access conditions may change at short notice. Dogs are not allowed in the park and drones are not permitted.
The Namadgi Visitor Centre is about 2.7 km south of Tharwa via Naas Road. It is open 9 am to 4 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 4:30 pm on weekends and public holidays, closed on Christmas Day, and it does not accept cash, only cards.
Canberra's wine district
Canberra's wine district is within 35 minutes' drive of the city, and VisitCanberra shows Pialligo Estate, Brindabella Hills Winery and Lerida Estate Winery among its cellar doors.
The Snowy Mountains
Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales holds the Thredbo and Perisher ski areas, which the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service describes as having the highest runs in the country. The park also has the Snowies Alpine Walk, 56 km over four days. The park is open all year, but at times some roads and trails close because of weather or park management.
Canberra Airport lists Snowy Mountain Shuttles, which runs from the airport to Thredbo and takes bookings by phone.
Canberra travel questions
How do I get from Canberra Airport to the city?
Transport Canberra's Rapid 3 bus runs from the terminal to the City interchange, and the airport says the trip takes less than 20 minutes.
Is Parliament House in Canberra open every day?
Parliament House is open every day except Christmas Day, with different hours on sitting and non-sitting days. Every visitor goes through airport-style security screening, and Parliament House asks you to allow at least 15 minutes for it.
When is Floriade in Canberra?
Floriade is a flower festival held each spring.
How do I get to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve from Canberra?
The reserve is about 40 km from the centre of Canberra, a 45-minute drive south-west. The reserve does not recommend taxis and Ubers, because they may not be willing to return to pick you up, and the closest petrol station is at Lanyon Marketplace, 18 km away.
Does Canberra observe daylight saving?
Yes. The ACT observes daylight saving, as do New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.